Why I Don't Watch Reality Television.

For many years I resisted the pull of reality tv. Mostly because I find the premise of a dozen (or two dozen, or whatever number) of people being stuck in a house (or on an island, in the desert, in high school, etc.) to be without entertainment value. I live a full, vibrant life that I love. And I don't understand the voyeuristic need to watch other people live lives that they don't love- because, honestly, reality television is about contrived drama among people who have no lives.

This season, however, I decided to give contrived drama a chance. The Bachelor is absurdly popular among my law school classmates, and for social purposes I decided to watch one full cycle of the show.

I liked it.

I did. I can't lie. I found it entertaining to discuss who would stay or go, who would win, who should get a new hairstylist, who needed medication. I watched each week with a friend and we'd exclaim over petty revelations and make scathing comments about the girls we disliked.

Tonight was the culmination of several weeks worth of this energy. Tonight was the final show, my girl won, the music crescendoed as the happy couple spun in circles and the screen faded to black.

Then the asshole changed his mind.

I'm now angry with the show and the network. I understand that reality tv is meant to surprise us with the human element, but tonight's show left me with little faith in ABC. How can a company that makes so much money off the Disney Princess franchise miss the fundamental point that people like fairy tales? The women who watch this show are not watching to see a fickle man hunt for greener grass. They're watching him narrow the field to a single woman to whom he will be faithful.

Needless to say, this will be the only season of The Bachelor that I watch.



TGBP update:

I finished "Love Walked In." Currently reading "I am Charlotte Simmons" and "Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading."

Books Purchased during this period: 0